How to Plan a Pot Luck Luncheon
A potluck luncheon allows each guest to bring a dish to share. The luncheon host should keep organized by preparing lists that include each guest's name and the dish she plans to bring. The host also needs to know if any guests have food allergies or if other allergens such as perfume or pet dander that can cause problems. Besides food, the host should also plan table decorations and ambient music. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Invitations or announcements
- Tableware, cutlery, serving platters
- Kitchen timer
- First aid kit
- Fire extinguisher
- Food storage containers
Instructions
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Theme
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Set a luncheon theme to help your guests decide what dish to prepare. Possible themes include welcoming the new season, your club's goal or a bridal shower.
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Budget for this theme. Include the cost of invitations, decorations, tableware, tablecloth, music and food. For example, a spring celebration theme could include fresh daffodils for the centerpiece and a bright-colored punch.
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Inform your guests if the luncheon theme calls for casual or dressy attire. If the luncheon is for a club, let the guests know if they should wear their member's attire.
Food Suggestions
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Assign categories such as appetizers, sides, entrees or desserts. Assigning dishes reduces the chance of receiving too many desserts and too few vegetables. The luncheon should include at least one warm dish, such as a casserole. Compile a list of all the guests, their contact information and the dish to expect.
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Suggest to your guests that they use in-season fruits or vegetables in their dishes. If your region raises food, encourage your guests to shop for locally grown produce.
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Bake chicken or ham as your contribution to the main dish. This meat dish works well in all seasons and most occasions. Ask a guest to bring a warm vegetarian dish, such as baked stuffed red peppers, eggplant lasagna or meatless bean chili.
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Prepare a short list of food suggestions to help guests who have no idea what to bring for their assigned category. For example, for a fall harvest luncheon, a guest responsible for a vegetable can bring a roasted acorn squash. For a bridal shower, a guest who lives near a bakery can bring petit fours for dessert.
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Ask guests to bring approximately five servings of food to reduce the chance of waste or untouched dishes.
Allergies
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Record any allergies or health issues from which your guests may suffer. If a guest suffers from a nut allergy, alert all guests not to include nuts or fry food with a nut-based oil.
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Ask guests to write down their dish's ingredients on a recipe card. Place each card next to the food item. This card will alert guests to possible food allergy problems. This recipe card collection can make a keepsake for the star lady at her bridal shower.
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Place a serving spoon at each dish to avoid cross-contamination of food.
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Tips & Warnings
Compile a time-line or schedule that includes preparations, reply deadline and host's greetings. Note any return dates for rented items such as tableware.
Set a kitchen timer if any food requires heating. While entertaining, you still need to keep track of hot appliances.
Keep a first aid kit and fire extinguisher handy.
Provide food storage containers so guests can take home leftovers.
Accept the help of a guest who offers to cleanup.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit chicken and potato patties 3 image by Brett Mulcahy from Fotolia.com
